WPL 2027 mini-auction in Kochi leaves five established players unsold
Five established players, including Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu and India wicketkeeper-batter Uma Chetry, went unsold at the Women's Premier League (WPL) 2027 mini-auction in Kochi on October 28, 2026. The list of notable names also included England batter Sophia Dunkley, India spinner Saika Ishaque and India pacer Titas Sadhu.
Several prominent international cricketers and familiar domestic players failed to attract bids despite prior performances and experience. With limited slots available across five franchises, teams were required to prioritise remaining budgets and address specific squad requirements, contributing to the number of players left unsold.
Chamari Athapaththu, the Sri Lanka captain, entered the auction at a base price of Rs 30 lakh but did not receive a bid. Athapaththu had played for UP Warriorz in the 2024 WPL season, scoring 28 runs and taking four wickets in four matches, and she also went unsold at the 2026 mega-auction.
England batter Sophia Dunkley was listed at a base price of Rs 50 lakh and was among the players in the highest price bracket but failed to find a buyer. The auction coverage noted her reputation as an aggressive top-order batter and suggested competition for overseas slots and franchises' specific squad requirements may have influenced the outcome.
Saika Ishaque, the left-arm spinner, went unsold at her base price of Rs 30 lakh in Kochi despite an impactful start to her WPL career. Ishaque was part of Mumbai Indians' title-winning 2023 campaign, claimed 15 wickets in her debut WPL season and earned an India call-up following those performances, but she left the auction without a franchise contract for the upcoming season.
Uma Chetry, 24-year-old wicketkeeper-batter and a member of India's 2025 Women's World Cup-winning squad, was the only World Cup squad member to miss out on a WPL contract. The coverage noted she is yet to establish herself as a power-hitter in the T20 format and that she offers skills behind the stumps.
Titas Sadhu, the India pacer from Bengal, was another familiar name who went unsold; she is a member of India's victorious 2023 ICC Under-19 Women's T20 World Cup squad and is known for her ability to generate swing. Despite that background, Sadhu did not attract bids at the Kochi mini-auction.
None of the five players secured a WPL contract for the upcoming season, leaving them without franchise deals after the Kochi mini-auction; franchises completed their auction business while managing limited slots and remaining budgets.
